Reflection
by MeGkAtHeRiNe
Summary: Amnesia is when you lose your memory, right? But what about false memories? Memories of a marriage, and a love that knows nothing about it?
1. Chapter 1

Emily looked to the beeping monitors with blurry eyes, her tears continuously falling down her cheeks as the minutes ticked by. Two other teammates had seated themselves down just beside her, refusing to leave the older man's side just as she.

Aaron Hotchner was in a coma.

A car came out of nowhere and rammed right into the passenger side of the car, causing Emily to fly from the vehicle and Hotch to become jammed between the door and gear shift.

The brunette agent cursed herself, and she would for years to come.

The one day she had wanted to drive, she was the one who ended up with the broken arm, not ending up in a coma after a surgery for a ruptured appendix.

It was her fault.

Emily felt herself sniffle as she leaned forward in her chair, her eyes staring at the frail looking man in the hospital bed.

"He's gonna be ok, Em."

The brunette quietly shook her head covering her mouth with her hand as her good elbow lazily rested on her sore knee. "You don't know that."

Rossi reached out, grabbing her hand and holding it firmly with his. "I _do_ know that."

Emily took her hand away from his so she could hastily wipe away her tears. "What are we supposed to tell Jack, Dave? He's only two."

The Italian gave the smallest of nods. "His Aunt Jessica is bringing him to see him in the morning."

"Why would she do that? This is traumatizing even for us, what about for a toddler?"

Morgan ran a hand over his face. "I agree with Princess here, man. What is little Jack supposed to do when his dad doesn't talk to him or smile when he gets here?"

Dave shrugged. "Tell him that he'll be sleeping for a while."

Emily gave a shaky sigh. "I don't know if I could do that to him." She looked to her Unit Chief laying in his bed. "To both of them."

The older man let out a sigh. "I think it's time for me to bed kids. I'm gonna head home and be back in the morning."

Morgan immediately nodded. "Me too."

Emily gave an absent nod, her eyes never leaving her supervisor. "I'll be here."

Dave looked to the woman he thought of as a daughter and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You sure, cara?"

"I'm not leaving, Dave."

The brown haired man let out a small sigh before patting her gently on the shoulder. "I'll get the nurse to bring in a cot."

Emily immediately started to shake her head, her eyes finally leaving her boss. "No Dave, I'm f-"

"Cara."

The chocolate eyed woman hesitated before reluctantly giving in, hating the look of sorrow and pity in her pseudo father's eyes. "Ok, ok."

Dave nodded. "Goodnight bella."

Emily's lips began to quiver. It was her fault. If she hadn't asked to drive, this one time out of thousands that had passed, he would be safe and she'd be in that bed. She wanted to be in that bed; to trade places with the man who had saved her life so many times.

*AARONEMILY*

_Hotch shook his head as he took the file out of the brunette's hand, setting it back down on the coffee table away from her outstretched hand. "No come on, it's time for bed."_

_The ivory woman let out a breath. "Aaron come on."_

_"Nope. Em, it's time for bed." He pressed a loving kiss to her temple. "It's after midnight, sweetheart."_

_Emily groaned before letting her husband help her up from the couch, slightly dragging her up the stairs to their bedroom. "Aaron you know I need to finish that for Strauss by Monday."_

_The older man nodded. "And today is only Friday. You have time to do it, but not during the night when you're supposed to be sleeping."_

_"But Aaron, I-"_

_Her husband held up a hand, quietly opening their son's door and peeking his head inside. "Look there at Jack. What's he doing?"_

_The brunette woman glared up at the chestnut eyed man. "Sleeping."_

_"And that means we do the same."_

_Emily sighed before slipping her shirt from her body and sliding into bed. "Better?"_

_Hotch smiled down_ _to his wife as he laid beside her, pressing a sweet kiss to her waiting lips. "Better."_

*AARONEMILY*

Morning felt as if it had come too quick, Emily barley having time to lay her head on the pillow she was provided before the nurse had ambled on in. The brunette agent quickly sat up on the cot and looked to the older woman, nodding towards her boss. "Everything ok? Is he getting better?"

The redheaded woman looked to the fragile agent, watching as tears immediately began to well in her eyes. "I'm sorry Agent Prentiss, but there is no change."

Emily let her lips roll in between her teeth. "Oh."

"But that means he is no worse from yesterday," she smiled. "Things could always get better."

The brunette woman gently nodded her head, giving a small 'thank you' to the nurse. She waited only a second, watching as the uniformed woman walked out of the room, before she let a tear roll down her pale cheek.

She needed her friend back.

Emily quickly wiped the tear away after she stood from her cot, taking her place back in the chair she had sat in the day before. A small smile crossed her features as she looked down to the older man in the bed, her good arm reaching out for her fingers to trail over his coarse hand. "Hi Hotch, it's Emily." Her teeth nibbled into her bottom lip. "There was a bad accident, and you might not be able to wake up for a while. But that doesn't mean never," she nodded. "Remember I was with you in the car, remember? I broke my arm and have a couple of stitches in my forehead. But that's nothing compared to what happened to you." She let out a shaky sigh, willing her tears away. "Jack is coming." The name of the little boy brought a real smile to her face. "Jessica is bringing him a little later to see you, to see how you are and everything." The brunette took his hand and brought it to her lips. "Get better ok?"

*AARONEMILY*

_Emily cooed gently to the little blond boy in her arms, holding him tight to her side as she bounced him on her hip. "Come on Jack-Jack. If you won't eat something for daddy, will you do it for mommy?"_

_The brunette man watched his wife with admiration in his eyes. "I'm telling you, he likes you better than me."_

_The mother let out a small laugh as her son tried to grab at her nose. "That is such a lie."_

_"Look at what you're doing!"_

_Emily looked down to the little boy on her hip, smiling when he began to eat the banana piece she held between her fingers. "I guess you're right." She sat down beside her husband and pressed a kiss to his stubbled cheek. "Haley is coming to pick him up later."_

_The older man gave a nod. "I know, I spoke with her last night."_

_"You know what that means though."_

_"I do," Hotch smiled._

_Emily held a grin on her face. "We finally get our date night!"_

_The brown eyed man laughed at his beautiful wife's immediate joyful tone, loving the smile on her face. "How long have we waited?"_

_Emily glanced down to her stepson and smiled. "Seven long, beautiful months."_

_Hotch leaned forward, running his fingers down the length of his wife's smooth cheek before sharing a kiss with the younger woman. "I love you darling."_

_Emily let out one of the girliest giggles as she shook her head. "Not as much as I love you."_

*AARONEMILY*

The brown eyed woman looked up from her magazine at the sound of a small moan, and her eyes immediately latching onto her boss.

Hotch let out another moan.

Emily quickly set down her magazine and sat straighter in her seat, grabbing a hold of her friend's hand after she had reached for the buzzer to signal for the nurse to come in. "Hotch? Hotch can you hear me?"

The older man's hand twitched in the hold of hers.

"Nurse!" Her smile couldn't have been wider as she looked down to her boss. "Come on Hotch, open your eyes for me."

The redheaded nurse came running through the door. "Agent?"

Emily turned to smile at the woman. "He's waking up." Her ebony hair fell before her doe eyes as she looked back down to the frail man in the bed, her hand squeezing his as the nurse ran out to find the doctor. "Come on Hotch you can do it."

Hotch's jaw twitched slightly, his fingers beginning to curl around his subordinate's.

The brunette pressed her lips softly against her friend's cheek. "Please Hotch."

The older man groaned gently as his eyes finally peeled open. "Emily?"

A sob flew past Emily's pink lips before she bent down and engulfed one of her best friend's in a hug. "Thank God you woke up! I would have killed you if you were unconscious for another day."

Hotch hugged the brunette back as best he could, sighing into her hair. "Emily."

The brunette smiled gently against the older man's cheek before backing away. "How do you feel?"

"Bad," he nodded honestly. "How long was I out?"

"Only a day. Do you remember what happened?"

Hotch hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes." He looked up to the beautiful brunette woman, taking in her makeup ridden face and puffed eyes, and he held her hand just a little tighter. "You look so stunning, Emily."

Emily's eyes widened slightly. "I do?"

"You do. I don't tell you that enough, do I?"

The younger woman bit her lip, hearing the nurse and doctor shuffle in behind her as confusion fluttered through her. "I need to let go of your hand for a minute, ok? I'll be right outside while they check you out."

Hotch slowly nodded, letting the brunette stand from her seat at his side. "I love you."

Emily let her fingers gently run over the back of his hand before leaving the room, her eyebrows knit. What was going on?


	2. Chapter 2

Emily bit down hard on her thumb nail as she waited for the doctor to come back out of her boss' hospital room. What had gotten into him? Calling her beautiful? Stunning even! He had never done something like that before.

Well once, but he also commented all the other women dressed up on that day. Especially JJ, seeing as how it was _her_ wedding day.

And then he had said he loved her.

Emily's mind boggled. What could have made him think he loved her? He had been unconscious for only a day, and even then you wouldn't just automatically spit out feelings like that, true or not.

Right?

The brunette looked up at the touch to her shoulder and immediately met the eyes of her friend's doctor. "Doctor Peters, hi. How is he?"

The blue eyed man smiled gently to the obviously distraught woman. "Just breathe Emily, everything looks completely fine. We will need to keep him here for a couple more days for observation, but if everything goes right on track then he'll be out by Friday."

Friday. Three days away. "Doctor, I think something's wrong."

The older man immediately frowned. "What do you mean?"

Emily let out a small sigh, fidgeting in front of the doctor before her. "He told me he loved me."

Doctor Peters was obviously expecting something different, his eyebrow arching. "I'm sorry?"

"He and I have been friends for years, and he has a beautiful son and we have never been together like that. He looked at me in a way he never has before, and I think something might be wrong."

The older man smiled, setting a hand on the brunette woman's shoulder. "I'm sure everything is fine, Emily. Maybe give him a chance to tell you what he seemingly wants to tell you."

Emily rolled her eyes as soon as the doctor left her side, groaning before she straightened her shoulders and walked back into the hospital room.

Hotch looked up from his clasped hands and smiled softly to the brunette woman entering the room. "Emily hi."

The younger woman gave a slow nod of the head before sitting right back in the chair she had barely left the night before. "Hi Hotch. How are you feeling?"

The brunette superior scoffed before taking the ivory woman's good hand in his own. "It's Aaron, honey. We've talked about this."

Emily gave an audible gulp, an apprehensive smile spreading over her features. "Ok Aaron, how are you feeling?"

"My head does hurt a little, but I think I'll be just fine." His eyes narrowed slightly, reaching out for the younger woman. "Your head..."

Emily's eyes gently fluttered closed, marveling in the feeling of his calloused fingers roaming softly over her stitches. "From the accident. You remember what happened, right?"

"I do," he nodded. "How many?" he asked, nodding to her forehead.

The brunette bit her lip. "Only five stitches, and a fractured humerus."

Hotch let out a small sigh. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Emily's eyes glanced up into the older man's, her fingers tangling with his. "I'm ok."

The older man scooted over in his hospital bed, making just enough room for the injured woman. "Come sit with me."

Emily immediately began to object. "Oh no, Aaron I'm fi-"

"Emily," he laughed, "just get in the bed."

The brunette woman let out a small smile, loving the sound of her friend's laugh. "Ok," she nodded. She slowly stood from her seat and sat down beside the older man, letting her boss lay her back against his chest, her injured arm resting peacefully between them. "This is nice," she hummed.

Hotch smiled, pressing a kiss against the younger woman's temple as she laid her head against his shoulder. "Do you remember our honeymoon?"

Emily felt tears enter her eyes at the passion and affection he held for her in his voice, and she softly snuggled into his chest, not knowing what to say.

"You had wanted to get out of the hotel and go camping, so we rented a cabin and the moment we tried to unlock the door it started raining. And the key broke in the lock," he laughed. "We found a way into the basement through the back, and we set up a small camp just underneath the staircase. Under the blanket, we cuddled all night and talked about the life we were going to have together." He smirked, tightening his arm around the younger woman and tightening his hand over hers. "That was the first night you let me go down on you."

The ebony haired woman's eyes bugged, her hand tugging itself away from her friend's and slapping gently against his chest. "Aaron!"

Hotch laughed lightly, nuzzling his nose against hers. "I apologize, darling. I love you."

Emily's eyes fluttered closed, letting out a gasp as he firmly pressed his lips to hers.


	3. Chapter 3

"Confabulation?" Emily shook her head. "What the hell does that mean?"

Doctor Peters tightened his hold on the clipboard holding his patient's information. "Confabulation is a sense of amnesia, creating false memories that take the place of real ones."

Emily let out a small sigh. "That's why he thinks I'm his wife."

JJ's eyes immediately went to her friend. "What?"

"I'll tell you later, Jay." She ran her fingers over the creases in her forehead. "Ok well how long can this last?"

"As long as any other amnesia case, really. It can last from a day to maybe a lifetime."

Emily bit into her plump bottom lip, trying her best to forget the kiss she had shared with her boss just before the team came back to visit. "Well what do I do? When he says something about our life together or a memory, do I correct him?"

"No," he shook his head. "You don't want to correct an amnesia patient. He might become confused or maybe even enraged by you not seeming to understand what he feels."

The brunette agent looked up at the sound of a small cry and immediately smiled at the little boy trying to jump from his aunt's arms. She gently took him into her arms and pressed a loving kiss to his sandy hair. "Hi there Jack-Jack. You remember me?"

The two-year old laid his head on the familiar woman's shoulder. "Duck."

A meek looking Jessica slowly nodded her head, smiling softly to the brunette woman. "That's his new favorite word."

Emily did her best to smile. "It's good to see you again Jess."

"I'm sorry to make this visit so short, but I have a meeting to get to." She shortly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think I can see him like that."

The agent bounced the little boy on her hip before nodding, knowing that she had a car seat in her Lexus for the two-year old. "That's completely fine. Should I drop him off to you later or would you want to come to pick him up at my place?"

"About that," she sighed, "I was wondering if you could watch him for tonight at least. It's supposed to be Aaron's week and I need to go help nurse my mother at her house."

Emily held in her sigh the best she could, hating all the attention on her from her team and the little boy staring at her intently from her hip. "Of course, that's completely fine."

Jessica immediately smiled. "You're sure? I can always get a sitter."

"No, there's no point in that. I'd love to watch him." The chocolate eyed woman grinned down to the blond boy and tickled his puged little tummy. "You wanna stay with me tonight Jack-Jack?"

Jack's face lit up. "Night wif MiMi!"

Emily pressed a gentle kiss to the two-year old's forehead, rubbing his back softly as Dave walked Jessica back out to her car. "You excited to see daddy, bud?"

"Daddy!"

The brunette woman smiled softly before carrying him into the room, pressing her lips against the toddler's ear. "Daddy is gonna be really excited to see you, but you have to be a little careful with him ok? No jumping, baby."

Jack obediently nodded his head. "Kay MiMi." His big eyes, the ones that were identical to his father's, immediately widened at the sight of his father sitting by himself in his hospital bed. "DADDY!"

Hotch looked up from his book and smiled wide. "Hey there buddy."

Emily slowly set the toddler down on his father's lap before sitting back down in her plastic visitor chair. "Remember what we talked about, honey."

The little boy nodded before climbing up to his father's chest and pressing a tiny kiss to his chest, just above his heart. His brown eyes glanced up to his father with curiosity, his small hands setting themselves on his strong shoulders. "You hurt daddy?"

Hotch's eyes met the brunette woman's for just a second, both pairs immediately beginning to sting after witnessing the beautiful little boy trying to cheer his father up. "Not so much anymore, bud."

Jack's face brightened, turning to look at the woman sitting beside the bed. "MiMi! I helped, MiMi!"

The ivory woman let out a small laugh. "I can see that, Jack-Jack."

JJ sat herself down beside her best friend, feeling Reid's hand softly comb through her hair. "How are you feeling Hotch?"

The Unit Chief gave a slow nod of the head, turning his son around so he could sit comfortably in his lap. "I'm doing alright, Jen. Thank you."

"So when can we break you out of here?"

Hotch let out a laugh, his eyes immediately meeting his best friend's. "Friday, Dave. We're almost there." He looked to Emily at his side and gently picked up her good hand. "How's your arm?"

Emily bit her lip. "I'm ok."

"I could ask the nurse to bring some painkillers in here for you."

Emily shook her head, squeezing the older man's coarse fingers with hers. "I'm ok Aaron, really."

JJ's brow rose, looking to Morgan and mouthing the question 'Aaron?'

Jack looked to his favorite brunette woman and smiled wide. "I sleep at MiMi's tonight."

The hospital patient gently rubbed his hand down his son's arm. "It's always fun to sleep at MiMi's, isn't it?"

"Yeah!"

Emily leaned back in her chair, meeting the smoldering eyes of the older man. "We could always sleep here; keep you company."

"No," he denied. "You'll sleep at home in our bed, and you'll be comfortable."

The brunette woman meekly nodded. "If you're sure."

Hotch grinned. "How could I not be sure?" He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I appreciate your concern."

Emily gave the smallest of smile's, meeting Jack's eyes as he playing with his father's hospital bracelet. "Always."


	4. Chapter 4

Jack cuddled into his favorite brunette woman's chest, his tiny body curling against her warm body. "I tired MiMi."

The brunette gently kissed the toddler's head as she rocked him. "I'm tired too, bud." She smiled down to him, catching his eyes before he looked out the window of her room. "Did you like seeing daddy today?"

"Daddy got hurt, MiMi."

Emily let out a shaky sigh, nodding slowly and rubbing her hand slowly up and down his small back. "I know, buddy. But you heard him right? He's coming home on Friday, and that's only three days away."

Jack looked up to the older woman. "Home here?"

The brunette agent paused for a moment, her eyes crinkling as she thought about the situation with the young boy's father. "I don't know, baby. I think he's gonna go to his own house."

"Daddy say you has the same bed."

Emily bit her lip. The kid had a point. "Ok," she nodded, "maybe I can come stay with you both for a couple of days before your daddy is alright to stay on his own."

Jack shook his head, snuggling his face into the brunette's chest. "I wanna stay wif MiMi."

Her hand rubbing down his back, Emily pressed a dozen little butterfly kisses to her favorite little boy's cheek. "I wanna stay with you too Jack-Jack."

"Stay!"

The agent sighed. "You have your daddy to stay with you, baby. And right now your daddy's mind isn't as strong as it should be, so he's thinking some things about him and I that never particularly happened."

Jack eyed the brunette. "Huh?"

Emily let out the smallest of laughs before rolling the toddler onto the other side of the bed, wrapping him up in her warm duvet. "Nevermind sweetie. Just remember that when your daddy says something to me or about me that you maybe don't understand or don't remember, just try not to say anything about it ok?"

"Ok MiMi."

She pressed a small kiss to his nose, wrapping him in her arms as they got ready for bed. "I love you Jack-Jack."

Jack sloppily kissed the brunette's nose. "Love MiMi."

The next morning the pair ate breakfast together in front of the window in Emily's living room, their butts on the hardwood floor and their bowls of cereal clanking against one another.

"You like daddy, MiMi?"

Emily looked up from the bowl before her, her mouth full of cereal. "Hmm?"

"My mommy liked my daddy. You like my daddy?"

Swallowing the cereal in her mouth, Emily slowly ran her hands down her pajama clad thighs. "Sweetheart you know I liked your daddy, he's one of my best friends. I tell him everything."

The toddler rolled his eyes. "No!"

"No?"

Jack vigorously shook his head. "Mommy liked daddy lots."

Emily slowly began to nod her head. Did she love the little boy's father? "Sweetheart, your daddy is one of the most amazing men I have ever known. I think that with your daddy and me, whether we hate each other or really really like each other in a single moment, nothing will ever be off the table. We will always be there for one another." Her brow rose, the brunette giving a smile to the young boy. "Does that answer your question?"

Jack scrunched his forehead. "Yes?"

"Does it make any sense to you, honey?"

The blond boy shook his head once more.

Emily let out a laugh before standing, helping the toddler to his feet and picking up both of the bowls from the floor. "It will, bud." She yawned, setting the bowls into the dishwasher before racing the young boy up the steps to her room. "Time to see daddy, Jack!"

Jack beamed, sprinting towards the brunette's room. "DADDY TIME!"


	5. Chapter 5

The young Hotchner boy tugged heartily on the brunette agent's soft hand as they made their way through the hospital hallways, glancing into each and every room to see if it was his daddy laying in the bed. "Where is he, MiMi?"

"Remember buddy? We have to go up to the third floor."

"Oh!" He quickened his pace and pulled the older woman to the elevator, his big eyes looking up to the steel doors. "Open pwease!"

Emily smiled down to the young boy before pressing the elevator button. She tightened her hold on the blonde's hand as she led him into the elevator, holding him to her side to keep him away from the two patients that stood at the other end. "You ok bud?"

Jack slowly nodded. "I wanna see daddy."

"We're getting there bud."

The two year old looked over to an older man sitting in a wheelchair by his side. "Hi mister."

The blue eyed man turned his head, coughing hard into his head. "Hello."

"You sick, mister?"

Emily quickly shook her head. "Jack you don't ask something like that."

Jack bit his lips. "Sorry." His head tilted slightly, reaching forward and touching the sick adult's wrinkled arm. "You is gonna get bedder," he smiled. "My daddy is."

The older man felt a small smile appear on his face just as the elevator bell rung. "Thank you, boy. I hope I do."

Emily watched the patient get wheeled away as she lifted her favorite little boy onto her hip. She smiled against his cheek before walking out of the elevator, turning down the hall that led to her friend's room. "I think you just made his day, Jack-Jack."

Jack wrapped his arms tight around the brunette's neck. "I make happy!"

"You definitely make happy, bud."

The pair made their way into the familiar room, Emily sitting in the chair that she always did before letting the little boy clamber up onto his father's lap. "Good morning," she smiled.

Hotch looked to the brunette woman and grinned, holding his son to his chest before leaning in and kissing his subordinate. "How was your night?"

Emily gave a nervous lick to her lips. "Perfect. He went right to bed and ate all of his cereal this morning."

The older man nodded, his brow furrowing. "Where's your sling?"

"All gone," she smiled. She raised her arm and gently shook it. "Just the brace now."

"For how long?"

Emily shrugged. "Two weeks if I remember correctly."

Jack poked at his father's chest. "Daddy! I make a man happy!"

"Really?" Hotch smiled warmly down to his son, watching as he vigorously nodded his head. "Is this man me?"

"No," Jack laughed.

Emily bit her lip, smiling at the pair. "He made a man smile in the elevator."

Hotch looked to his son with admiration in his eyes. "And how did Mr. Jack do that?"

"I said he was gonna get bedder 'cause you is gettin' bedder, daddy."

The Unit Chief shared an intimate look with the woman who had done so much for him, and he slowly nodded his head. "You're right, buddy." He pressed a kiss against his son's small forehead, holding him close to his chest. "How do you make everyone smile? I'm a little jealous."

"MiMi says I is cute."

Emily let out a cackle of a laugh at the little boy's words.

Hotch smiled at the brunette woman. "Yeah, maybe that has something to do with it."

The ivory woman watched as the older man tickled his son with a smile, and she quietly adjusted her position in the chair. "So how is it in this hospital bed, huh? Getting bored?"

"It's a little better now."

Emily felt herself blush at the look the older man was giving her. "If you want, I brought you some case files that I had that I haven't started yet." She shrugged. "Thought you might be missing the job."

Hotch gave the brunette a grateful look. "I have been, thank you."

Just then Doctor Peters walked in with his clipboard in hand, his eyes directed towards the woman in the room. "Emily may I speak to you?"

The ebony haired woman quickly nodded her head and followed the doctor out of the room. "Hello Doctor Peters."

The older man gave a small smile. "Hello Emily. How is everything going with our little predicament?"

Emily bit hard into her bottom lip, her arms crossing over her chest. "No change really. He thinks we're still married, and he's expecting to end up at 'our' home when he's discharged."

Doctor Peters slowly nodded his head. "And how have you been handling it? Reacting to it?"

The brunette shrugged, glancing in on the father and son that sit in the hospital room. "I haven't disagreed with him."

"So you've been going along with it."

"Well there's not much else I can do, can I?" she asked.

Doctor Peters let out a sigh. "I'm just warning you to be careful, Emily. I don't want anyone to get hurt here."

Emily gave a lick to her lip as the doctor walked away, her fingers gripping hard at her arms. "You might be a little late on that one."

Jack looked up from his father's hand when he heard footsteps in the doorway, and a smile immediately spread over his face. "MiMi! Daddy says I can have ice ceam!"

"Ice ceam?" The brunette laughed at the toddler's mispronunciation. "Well maybe just a little later, ok bud? We haven't had any lunch yet, have we?"

Jack sulked. "No."

Hotch looked to the beautiful brunette woman with an eyebrow raised. "Everything ok with the doctor?"

The younger woman hesitated before nodding her head. "Yeah. Everything's ok." She looked to the young boy in her boss' lap and sighed. "I have to get him to daycare before I get to work."

Hotch nodded, pressing a kiss to his son's head before handing him back over to the brunette. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Are you?"

The older man looked to the brown eyed woman, watching her stand with his son chained to her hip. "Don't strain yourself." Before she could make her way out of the room, he called out to her. "Friday night when I'm free to leave, I want to take you out."

Emily turned, her eyes growing sad at the reality that was passing through her. She couldn't keep doing this. "Aaron I don't know."

"All I want to do is take you out on a date; a night just for you and me." He smiled to her. "I'll even order your favorite wine."

The ivory woman bit her lip, nodding softly at the thought of the idea. "It sounds wonderful."

"So it's a date then?"

Emily couldn't seem to hide her smile at the enthusiasm in the older man's voice. "It's a date."


	6. Chapter 6

Hotch stood from his hospital bed and made his way to the bathroom, his left hand holding the back of his gown together tightly so nothing would show. How modest. The only one in the room and he couldn't even bare a slight draft. The Unit Chief rolled his eyes at the thought before closing the bathroom door and looking into the mirror.

He was pale. Even paler than usual. A sickly pale.

His brown eyes stood out in contrast of his milky skin, but not as much as Emily's did. Her chocolate eyes? He could get lost in them for days.

The brunette man turned the faucet on and splashed his face, letting the warm water soak through all the pores in his face.

A familiar face appeared in his mind, a blond with sparkling blue eyes.

"Haley," he sighed. He missed the younger woman, remembering all the places they went when they were dating in high school and the church they had gotten married at.

Jack was the spitting image of them both, his eyes and her hair; her nose and his dimples.

Hotch's eyes looked back up into the mirror. "Oh my God..."

He had told Emily he loved her.

They were dreams; dreams about their life together while he was in a coma that he'd spit out and told her about.

"Shit!" The Unit Chief slammed his fist into the wall. He was in some hot water with this one.

Everything he had dreamt up he had spoken about. Everything he had wanted to happen one day he had told her.

Hotch glared at his reflection, his fists clenching as they sat on the sink's edge. He hated himself. His fists were so close to coming up and slamming right into the mirror, but he didn't need to hurt himself anymore.

What was he supposed to do?

The Unit Chief slugged his way out of the bathroom and back into his hospital room, his eyes meeting those of his doctor. "Doctor Peters, hello. Is everything ok?"

The older man smiled. "Everthing is just fine Mr. Hotchner, thank you. And how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

Doctor Peters frowned at his patient's stoic features. "Mr. Hotchner?"

The father of one looked up from his hands. "Did Emily tell you what I've been saying?"

The doctor immediately nodded his head. Confabulation was gone. "Mr. Hotchner, I told her to say nothing about it. There is always a chance of enraging a patient with confabulation if they're told what they believe to be real is in fact not."

"So everyone knew I was making a fool of myself but me?"

Doctor Peters gently shook his head, tightening his hold on his clipboard. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Hotchner."

Emily made her way into the hospital room with a tired Jack on her hip, his little head on her shoulder. She looked to the patient with a smile, his go-bag with clean clothes in her free hand. "Hi, how are you feeling? You ready to get out of here?" Her smile began to fade, noticing the anger she saw in his eyes as he stared at the wall. "Aaron?"

Doctor Peters looked to the visitor. "Confabulation is gone."

The ivory woman's doe eyes widened, her grip on the bag loosening. "Oh." She looked to her friend in the bed and quietly set down the go-bag, letting him take it for himself as the doctor inched towards the door. "I can take him home today, right?"

"You can," the doctor nodded. "Just fill out the proper forms and he's out of here."

"Thank you very much."

Hotch kept his eyes off of the younger woman, not wanting to look into those midnight orbs that belonged to the woman he had fallen in love with. "Thank you for getting my bag."

"You're welcome." Emily sat herself down in the plastic chair she had claimed for herself, sitting a sleepy Jack in her lap so he could cuddle into her chest. "So are you ready to go? It's Jessica's night for Jack so we can get you settled back into your house pretty quickly."

The Unit Chief stood before the younger woman and took the bag in his hand. "Of course." He made his way to the bathroom, turning on the light that sat right above the sink. "You can just put him down on the bed while you fill out the forms. I'll be out in a minute."

Emily silently nodded her head, waiting until he closed the bathroom door to stand back up from the chair she was in. She carried the young boy back out of the room and over to the nurse's desk, getting the correct forms to get her boss out of the hospital. "You ready for daddy to come back home, Jack-Jack?"

The young boy nodded sleepily against his favorite brunette woman's shoulder. "Mmhmm MiMi."

The brunette brought her favorite little boy back into the room and sat him down on her lap so she could fill out the paperwork.

Hotch opened the bathroom door and stepped out, dressed in his barely worn jeans and a t-shirt. His eyes glanced over to the brunette woman and he gave a tense shake of the head. "I thought I asked you to lay him down."

Emily looked up to the older man. "I'm sorry, I just thought it would be better if I didn't jostle him."

"Whatever," he sighed, taking his son from the younger woman. "Thank you for caring for me and Jack, but it's time we get home."

Emily immediately stood from her seat. "Aaron, I-"

"Don't." He shook his head, holding his son tight against him. "I know what I said to you when I had amnesia, but I meant none of it. You will forget everything that we've spoken about, ok? I was wrong to say those things."

The brunette's eyes watered as she watched him walk towards the door. "Aaron please wait!"

Hotch glared at the younger woman, refusing to let the sadness of the brunette affect him. "Goodbye Emily."

Emily felt a lump form in her throat as she watched the man she loved walk swiftly out of the room. Her legs felt shaky as the realization of the situation hit her and she sat down on the hospital bed, tears pouring from her dark eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Emily bit her lip hard to keep her tears from falling as she got into her car. She had sat crying in her boss' hospital bed for almost an hour when a nurse finally came in to tell her they were bringing in a new patient.

How could he do that to her?

The brunette's eyes stung as she finally shoved her key into the ignition of her car. That man was a piece of shit. He blamed his amnesia on her! His feelings that she _knew_ he had for her! What kind of person would do that?

Emily let out a shaky breath, her hands tight on the steering wheel as she sped out of the hospital parking lot. Cars honking, lights flashing and people screaming in the streets of DC; everything was blinding her, everything causing a scuffle in her already pounding head.

She needed to talk to him.

Nothing he could say to her would make her just walk away. She couldn't do that to him; she knew that he needed her and she needed him too.

With that single thought now pulsing in her mind, Emily turned down the street that would take her fastest to her friend's house.

Pulling up outside the two-story house, the brunette quickly got out of her car and slammed the door. Her feet couldn't take her up the walkway fast enough, her fist not banging hard enough on the door. "Hotch!"

The brunette immediately froze. The door swung open.

There he was.

Emily's hand slowly dropped back down to her side, an audible gulp passing through the air as her eyes searched his.

He'd been crying.

Hotch looked to the younger woman with sorrowed eyes, his head nodding gently before he stepped to the side. "Come in."

Emily bit her lip before walking into the older man's home, watching as he closed the door behind him. "I need to talk to you."

The brunette man nodded. "I knew you'd be here." He gestured towards the hall and slowly led her into the living room of his home, sitting just beside her on the couch. "Jess just picked up Jack a few minutes ago."

Emily gave a short blink of the eyes. They were alone. "I need to tell you that I didn't appreciate a single thing you've said to me today. It was not my fault that you said those things to me while you had amnesia, and it is not my fault that you had finally opened up to me, whether those feelings were real or not." Her eyes watered as she stared hard into the older man's light chestnut orbs. "I didn't deserve any of those words!"

Hotch nodded. "I know."

"Well? Say something!" Her head shook, her body growing rigid at the fact that he had said barely anything. "This was not my fault, Aaron!"

The Unit Chief looked to the younger woman with sad eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Emily. I should have never said the things I did, but I was confused and embarrassed." His shoulders shrugged. "You're my friend and I care about you."

Emily sadly shook her head, her bottom lip rolling in between her teeth.

Hotch scooted closer to the brunette woman and placed his hand over hers. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to see you cry." He gently brought his hand up and wiped a warm tear away with his calloused finger. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, Emily. I'm only asking for you to understand how sorry I am."

The younger woman looked up into her friend's eyes, his thumb still rubbing across her ivory cheek. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"What you said about me," she whispered. "About loving me." Her eyes bore straight into his, her fingers practically clawing into her jean clad thighs. "Was any of it true?"

Hotch felt his breath almost leave him at the intensity he saw behind the younger woman's doe eyes. "The truth?"

Emily almost let out a laugh. "Please."

The scarred father of one hesitated before he slowly nodded his head. "I think so, yes."

"You think so."

Hotch let out a small sigh. "It's complicated Emily, I'm sorry. I have many things to think over and this is just one of hundreds. Granted it's high up on the list, but still."

Emily slowly nodded, happiness spreading through her body at the older man's proclamation. "I understand."

"Whar about what you feel for me?"

The brunette woman's eyes widened. "What?"

Hotch looked into the younger woman's dark eyes, his thumb rubbing softly across her still stained cheek. "Do you have the same feelings for me that I do for you?" He cursed himself for having a feeling of sadness growing inside of him as the younger woman hesitated. All he could do was wait.

Emily felt her insides warm at the look her boss was giving her. "Hotch..." she let out a shaky sigh. "Yes."

"You do?"

The younger woman had a hint of a smile spread over her face. "Yes."

Hotch gave a relieved sigh, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to the brunette agent's forehead. "I need time to think Emily."

Emily quickly nodded her head, moving out of the older man's grasp and standing from the couch. "I understand that." She let him lead her to the front door and out to her car before she turned him around to face her. "I have a proposition."

"Alright." Hotch's eyebrow rose at the statement.

The younger woman gave a meek smile, her hand holding onto his. "You asked me on a date for tonight. How about I take you out and show you what could happen between us?"

"Emily..."

"Please Aaron." She ran her finger over his thick knuckles before letting go of his hand. "Just let me show you. One date." That's all she would need.


	8. Chapter 8

_I really need to kiss him._

Emily almost laughed at the thought as she opened her apartment door, smiling up to the older man she had quickly fallen in love with. "Hotch hi."

The older man glanced down to the brunette woman with a small smile, taking in the picture of the younger agent in a dark blue blouse and an almost skin-tight pencil skirt. "You look beautiful, Emily."

Emily's cheeks grew pink at the compliment and smiled when he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you. Come on in."

"We're not going out?"

The brunette giggled slightly, letting her boss step into the foyer before she closed the steel door behind them. "Why go out when I have a perfectly romantic apartment up for use?" She led him through the dimly lit apartment to her dining room, watching his reaction to the setting she had spent hours on. "What do you think?"

Hotch's eyes widened at the sight before him, taking in a breath as he looked around the room. Candles flickering in almost every nook and crevasses, small rose petals scattered about the table that held the white and gold dinner plates, and two glasses of white wine sitting perfectly side by side. "Emily, you didn't have to do all this."

"I did," she smiled. Her hand gently took his and she led him over to the table, sitting down just beside him so they could face the window that looked out to the capital. "For dinner we have t-bone steak, medium rare, sugar snap peas and the tiniest bit of spaghetti."

The older man picked up Emily's soft hand and pressed a kiss to the back of the it. "This is too much Emily. I know I don't deserve it, but thank you so much." He gave a small smile at the younger woman's blush before taking the glass of wine she had poured for him into his hand. "To a very hopeful future for us."

Emily bit her lip, picking up her wine glass and clanging the rim to his. "To us."

The pair ate their dinner in a comfortable silence before Emily led her date into her living room, sitting him down on her couch.

Hotch shook his head. "Why don't I take us out for dessert? You put a lot of effort into this, and I feel as if I've done nothing."

The brunette smiled gently, looking to the brown eyed man. "You're here," she grinned. "That's all that matters to me, Aaron."

Hotch stood, brushing past the younger woman and walking over to the stereo she had over by the plain white wall. "Tell me your favorite album."

Emily's eyebrow rose. "Why?"

"Don't be difficult," he chuckled. "Just tell me."

The brunette smirked before giving the smallest of nods. "The Beatles album Let It Be."

Hotch nodded his head and quickly found the album sitting among all the rest, placing the record on the player Emily had lying on her one of a kind mahogany end table. He spun around on his heel and slowly made his way over to his date, holding his hand out as the music began to play. "Dance with me?"

Emily felt tears stinging her eyes at the sincerity she saw behind the older man's eyes. "Yes." Her hand slipped its way into his, her steps falling in line with his as he pulled their body close together. She rested her head against his strong chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat pound into her. "You're sweet, you know that?"

"I am?" The older man sighed gently. "I haven't heard that in a long time."

"You never show this caring side of you at work, and that's all we ever do. I'm glad I get to see this side of you."

The Unit Chief grinned against his date's dark hair, pulling her body just a little bit closer. "I guess you're just lucky then."

Emily looked up into the older man's eyes, her hand tightening around his as her heartbeat picked up, their souls connecting on a level that had never been reached before. "I guess I am."


	9. Chapter 9

The brunette woman tucked a stray curl behind her ear before slugging her way out of her bedroom, a lazy smile spreading over her face at the thought of the previous night. Her first date with Aaron Hotchner. Supervisory Special Agent In Charge. Father.

And a damn hot piece of ass.

Emily giggled at the thought, sitting herself on her plush couch and staring at the pillow she and Hotch had fallen asleep on. They'd finished dancing and sat down to talk and listen to the rest of her favorite album, and the younger woman had fallen asleep right atop his hard chest. The pair had woken at about two a.m and Emily escorted her date out so he could get home, letting him plant the warmest of kisses to her cheek.

It was a good night.

The brown eyed agent sighed gently and quickly sunk into the warmth of her couch cushions. Lazy Saturdays. The best days.

Until the phone rings.

With a quick glare to the phone, Emily picked up the offending object and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi Em."

A smile immediately appeared on the ebony haired woman's sleepy face. "Aaron hi. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good," he smiled. "I wanted to thank you again for last night. It was possibly the best date I've ever been on."

Emily let a playful frown cross over her features. "Possibly?"

"Ok it was definitely the best date. Better?"

The younger woman laughed, leaning back into the plush cushions of her couch. "So what are you up to?"

"I was actually going to ask you the same thing. I have someone who wants to speak to you."

Emily's eyebrows knit together. "You do?"

The sound of a small yelp sounded on the other end of the phone before another voice came into her ear. "MiMi!"

Emily smiled wide at the young boy's voice. "Oh hi there Jack-Jack. I thought you were still with your Aunt Jessie."

"No! Daddy gotted me today!"

"Oh he did?" The brunette grinned against the phone at the sound of her favorite little boy giggling. "How did you like spending the night with Aunt Jess?"

The blond boy tilted his head to the side. "I misses you MiMi, and yous got a big bed!"

"Oh, so you just want me for my bed, huh?"

Jack quickly shook his head. "No MiMi!"

Emily let out a laugh. "I was just joking, buddy. So what are you and your daddy doing today?"

"We gotta invitite you to the zoo!"

The brunette bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Invitite?"

"Yeah!"

Emily smiled. "I would love to go with you and your daddy to the zoo today, Jack-Jack. Could you go and tell him that for me?"

"DADDY!"

The chocolate eyed agent chuckled as her date from the previous night received the phone from his son. "So the zoo, huh? Sounds pretty out there for you."

"Yes I know," he smiled. The pair stayed in a small comfortable silence before the older man whispered into the phone. "I remember."

Emily bit her lip. "You remember what, Aaron?"

"He called you MiMi. When I had amnesia, I thought it was his way of calling you mommy without disrespecting Haley."

The younger woman felt her eyes sting at the sorrow in her friend's voice. "Aaron..."

Hotch gently shook his head. "No, I'm ok. I just miss her sometimes, you know?"

"I can't say that I understand exactly what you've gone through because I've never lost someone that close to me, but I understand that you're in pain. I'm always gonna be right here for you, ok? You know that don't you?"

He smiled against the phone. "Of course I do, Em." He glanced over to his son playing with his dinosaurs before sitting himself down on his couch. "So the zoo. We'll pick you up at two?"

Emily bit her lip, smiling at the smallest sound of enthusiasm in her date's voice. "Two sounds good."

"See you then."

"Bye," she smiled. She quickly disconnected the call, her eyes looking out to the cloudy day that sat before her. "See you then."


	10. Chapter 10

Emily tightened her hand around the older man's as they walked up the house's front steps, her eyes staring at the unopened door. "Are you sure I should be here? Maybe I can go wait in the car or something."

"Don't worry Emily, it's ok. I just need to get Jack's bear back before he has an attack."

The brunette shivered. "I'm not sure."

Jack looked up from his shoes to look at the brunette agent at his side. "Was wrong, MiMi?"

Emily gave a quick smile down to the young boy. "Nothing honey, everything's alright."

"Why is you neverous?"

"Nervous, honey," she nodded. "I just don't know your grandma Aggie that well, so I don't really know if she'll like me or not."

Jack smiled wide. "Granny Aggie loves everyone!"

Emily's head spun at the sound of the front door opening, and her eyes immediately widened at the sight of the older woman before her.

"Hello Jack!" The blue eyed woman grinned down to her grandson before gesturing for the three to walk beyond the front door. "Why don't you and your daddy go get your bear, sweetheart? It's right in the guest room where you left it."

Hotch gave a quick kiss to his date's cheek before chasing after his son, making sure he didn't break anything on his way to the room.

Agitha smiled gently to the frightened looking woman in her living room and held out her hand. "I'm Haley and Jessica's mother. You can call me Aggie."

Emily bit her lip, shaking the older woman's hand. "Hello Aggie, I'm Emily."

"Come sit."

The younger woman let out a breath as she sat down beside the blond, running her hands down her thighs. "I'm so sorry to just drop in on you like this, I didn't know we were coming. We were in the car on the way to the zoo and Jack just really wanted his bear."

"He loves that bear," Agitha laughed. "It was his favorite present his mother gave him."

Emily slowly nodded her head, her tongue swiping over her bottom lip. The pair fell quiet.

Agitha looked to the brunette woman. "May I tell you something Emily?"

"Of course."

The blond woman inched closer, placing a hand over the agent's tapping fingers. "Jack will never see you as his mother."

Emily's jaw practically dropped at the older woman's statement. "I beg your pardon?"

"His mother was his mother, the best mother," she grinned. "And no one, especially you, will ever replace her. Aaron deserves another woman, and good for him for going out and getting one, but no one he picks will ever live up to my Haley."

The doe eyed woman glared at her favorite little boy's grandmother and yanked her hand from hers, pointing accusingly at the blond. "Now you listen here, Agitha. I have never once done anything to try and take over Haley's place in Jack's heart. I had met her dozens of times and I know how amazing of a woman she was, and such a beautiful mother to that little boy. You don't get to tell me what you think of me after only five seconds of knowing me. I love that little boy like he's my own, but I certainly know he's not. I am not his mother, and I would never ask him to replace Haley like that." Her eyes stung with tears at the thought of her favorite little boy calling her 'mommy'. "Just because I'm dating Aaron does not mean that you get to shit all over me like you're doing."

"You watch your mouth, Emily. That language is disgraceful."

"Disgraceful? The way you're acting is disgraceful. Despicable, even." Emily stood from the couch. "You do not know me, and you do not know anything about Aaron's and I's relationship, or Jack and I's relationship. Don't you judge me before knowing who I am, or what I can do for those two."

Agitha raised a brow to the brunette. "You think you can be a mother? Give them the love that my Haley could?"

"I know I can," she grinned. "I'm certainly no Haley, but I'm a damn good Emily-freaking-Prentiss and that's who I plan on being."

Hotch came around the corner, Jack quietly standing by his side with his bear clutched to his chest. "Emily? Ready to go?"

Emily smiled to her two favorite boys before she glanced back to the solemn looking woman on the couch. "If you'll excuse us, we have a date to get to."

The blond boy jumped into the air. "Zoo!"

Emily nodded, taking the little boy's hand and walking him outside. "Let's get to the zoo, buddy."

Once in the car, Hotch looked to the younger brunette at his side. His hand held onto hers as they drove out onto the road, his coarse thumb rubbing smoothly over her knuckles. "I heard what was going on in there."

The brunette looked hesitantly to her date. "You did?"

"Only some of it, but enough." He nodded to the younger woman. "You stood up for yourself very well."

"Thank you, I thought so too." She bit her lip. "No offense Aaron, but I didn't know your mother-in-law was such a witch."

Hotch slowly shook his head, knowing the brunette would have used another word if his son weren't in the car with them. "She has never acted like that before."

"So I'm the one that brings out the worst in her?" Emily let out a sigh, her fingers intertwining with the older man's. "Great."

"None of what she said was right or ok to say, and you know that none of it was true."

Emily immediately nodded. "No, I know."

Hotch slowed the car's speed down at least ten mph to make it safer to look at the beautiful woman at his side. "Don't you think for a second that I won't want to date you now because of something horrid my mother-in-law said. I've pined after you for too long to let you go."

The brunette woman glanced at her date, her eyes watering at his sweet words. "You've pined after me?"

"For years."

Emily let out a shaky breath before leaning over the gear shift and kissing the older man's cheek. "You're too sweet."

"And somehow with all of your beauty, you could never be too stunning." He smiled over to his date and stepped on the gas. "Now enough pouting. Let's get to the zoo."

Emily gave a small laugh, kissing her date's coarse fingers. "Let's get to the zoo."


	11. Chapter 11

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since Hotch and Emily had started dating, and the brunette woman felt herself beginning to get frustrated. The older man hadn't kissed her yet; hadn't even tried.

The trip to the zoo had gone spectacular, and young Jack had even gotten a free lion from one of the zoo keepers and immediately gave it to Emily, naming it Lucy.

Emily bit her lip, thinking about how Hotch had walked her back up to her apartment with a sleeping Jack in his arms, and he pressed a firm kiss to her forehead, promising another date just as special, and one without the young boy who tugged on your sleeve every five minutes.

Two nights later they'd had their third date, the Unit Chief had treated her to a fancy dinner at a five-star restaurant in downtown D.C. They had the most amazing of nights, little touches here and there, walking hand-in-hand down the busy city streets and even stopping for ice cream before sitting themselves on a vacant park bench.

No kiss.

And then four days later, they had gone to the movies. Emily wanted to see a new horror film that had come out and Hotch immediately took the chance to take her out once more. Sitting in the back row, the darkness wrapping around them so it was as if it was just them in the theater.

Still not kiss.

The brunette groaned before pushing herself up out of her chair, picking up her coffee mug from her desk and marching over to the break room where her best blond friend sat. "Advice?"

JJ smiled to her best friend, gesturing for her to take the seat in front of her. "Anytime my dear friend."

Emily plopped down in front of her friend with a fresh cup of coffee in hand. "Aaron hasn't kissed me yet."

"Calling him 'Aaron', are we?"

Emily glared at the younger woman. "I thought you were gonna help me."

The blond smirked. "Is that why you're wearing all these sexy dresses to work now? For Aaron?"

"Ok," she groaned, "I'm leaving."

JJ laughed and snagged her best friend's wrist, quickly pulling her back into her seat. "Alright, I'm sorry." She nodded to the older woman. "Aaron hasn't kissed you yet."

Emily gave a pout at the thought. "We've gone on four dates so far, and they've all been so beautiful and romantic. The first date I made him dinner at my apartment, and the other three dates he's treated me. And no kiss."

"Well what do you usually do touch-wise?"

Emily's brow arched. "I'm sorry?"

The blond grinned to her friend, squeezing her wrist before letting it go. "Do you hug? Cuddle? Hold hands?"

The older woman nodded her head. "We usually hold hands and then he kisses me goodnight either on the forehead or the cheek, never the lips."

"Has he given any hints to being uncomfortable?"

"None," she sighed. "Maybe he really doesn't like me the way he thinks he does."

JJ immediately shook her head. "You know that's not true, Em."

The brunette's eyes began to sting as she shrugged. "He said he's pined after me for years. Maybe it's one of those times where the fantasy is better than the reality."

JJ grabbed onto her friend's hand. "You need to talk to him. The faster you get this off your chest, the better you'll feel."

Emily bit her lip. "Maybe you're right."

Hotch walked in through the BAU doors and smiled at the beautiful woman he was dating, leaning down and kissing her cheek. "Hey, I got you your favorite sandwich from 'Vita' for lunch."

Emily looked up from her friend and smiled softly at the older man. "Thank you, that's sweet." She shared a small look with her blond friend before she stood from her seat. "Can I talk to you?"

The older man gave a small frown. "Everything ok?"

"For the most part. Why don't we go up to your office?"

Hotch nodded his head, putting his hand to the small of the brunette's back and leading her through the bullpen and locking his door behind them.


	12. Chapter 12

Emily let out a shaky breath as she heard the older man flip the lock on his office door. Why had she done this? Not even a moment into the decision and the brunette was already regretting it.

The Unit Chief brushed his fingers along the brunette's back before he passed by her, setting their lunches down on his desk. "So what's the matter?"

Emily gently shook her head. "Nothing's necissarily wrong."

"Are you sick? Do you need the rest of the day off?"

The younger woman felt her insides churn. That man was just so sweet. "No, I'm ok really. I wanted to actually ask you a question." Her brown eyes flickered over to her boss' desk chair. "Wanna sit?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm fine with standing. What's going on?"

Emily bit down hard on her bottom lip. "We've gone on a couple of dates, and I've had a lot of fun so far."

Hotch smiled to the chocolate eyed woman, stepping forward and taking her hands in his. "I've had a fun time too, sweetheart."

The ivory woman looked up into her boss' eyes. "But Aaron, you haven't kissed me yet."

Hotch gave a frown. "That's what has you all shaken up?"

"I'm not shaken up."

The older man squeezed the brunette's hands. "Well you're not exactly calm."

Emily shook her head. "Aaron, why haven't you kissed me yet? We've been spending almost all of our time together and we've been having fun."

"We've been having a lot of fun," he agreed. "But Emily, I have kissed you."

Emily felt the urge to roll her eyes. "On the forehead and the cheek, and I love it when you do that." She let out the smallest of laughs. "But it's not the same as a kiss on the lips. A real kiss." The brunette looked up into the Unit Chief's eyes. "Don't you want to kiss me?"

Hotch quickly sat the brunette woman down in his visitor's chair, kneeling before her with her hands clutched in his. "Of course I want to kiss you sweetheart. I just want to take this slow; I don't want to spoil it."

The younger woman sighed. "But it's been weeks, Aaron."

"I'm sorry, bu-"

Emily quickly shook her head. "Aaron if you don't want to kiss me then just say so."

Hotch felt his body stiffen, his hands tightening around the brunette agent's. "Emily, have you not been listening to what I've said? It's not that I don't want to kiss you."

The chocolate eyed woman stood from her chair, breaking the connection of their warm hands. "That's not what it feels like to me though, Aaron. Have you not noticed me trying to get you to kiss me?"

Hotch slowly nodded his head. "I've noticed."

Emily's jaw dropped. "And you've said nothing?"

The older man grabbed onto Emily's shaking hands. "It's not as if I've ignored the tries, Emily."

"But you have!"

Hotch watched with sorrowed eyes as his favorite sight, the agent's beautiful dark orbs, began to fill with tears. "Emily, why are you crying?"

Emily let out a breath, her head shaking. "You don't get it! You told me that you've pined for me, that you don't want to lose me, and yet you act as if kissing me is the last thing you would ever want to do." She squeezed the older man's hands. "It can't just be that you want to take this slow."

The older man took his hands from the brunette's. "You obviously don't get this."

"You're right," she cried, "I don't! Tell me, please."

Hotch glared at the younger woman. "You don't get it, Emily. I just got out of having amnesia, and I'm still dealing with the results of what I just spit out."

Emily's brows knit. "The results?"

"Being with you! That damn result!"

Emily refused to let her lips quiver. "I thought you wanted to be with me."

Hotch shook his head. "I want to be with you more than anything, Emily. But when I said the things I said? I did that too soon." He gave a helpless shrug of the shoulders. "Years of pining after the most beautiful woman you've ever seen and then getting just thrown into a relationship? It's completely nervewracking."

The younger woman gently stepped forward and slid her hands around her boss' strong neck, staring passionately into his eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "If you want to take a break from this and think some things over, I would understand."

The father of one shook his head. "There's nothing to think over. I love you Emily, I know that. And I'm not letting you get away."

Emily let a tear escape from her eye. "Aaron..."

The older man turned his subordinate around and sat her down on the edge of his polished desk, leaning forward so their noses were brushing. "You want me to kiss you?"

Emily held in her gasp, feeling the Unit Chief's hot breath on her face. "Only when you're ready."

"Duly noted."

The chocolate eyed woman's eyes fluttered closed as Hotch pressed his lips gently against hers, her fingers softly clawing into the back of his strong neck. Tilting her head to the side, Emily pulled away quickly to catch a breath before diving back in, pulling the older man closer to feel his body against hers.

...

JJ let out a small laugh as she watched her friends move around on her boss' desk, hearing a giggling Penelope by her side. "They're gonna hate you."

The redheaded woman shrugged, looking back into the lens of her camera as she recorded the heated pair. "What else am I supposed to put in the Christmas video?"


	13. Chapter 13

Jack frowned as he looked up to his father and his new girlfriend, watching as they sucked face in the middle of their kitchen. His tiny brows furrowed at the sight of his MiMi pressing her body as close to his father's as she could, her fingers gripping at the polo the Unit Chief had thrown on. "Was you doing?"

Emily immediately jumped away from her new boyfriend, looking down to her favorite little boy with an embarrassed smile. "Hey there Jack."

"You is kissing daddy."

The brunette slapped at Hotch's chest when she heard him laugh. "Yes honey, I was." She quickly picked up the hot grilled cheese she made and handed it to the boy. "There's your lunch."

"Thank you," he nodded.

Hotch picked up his son and sat him safely down at the dining room table, knowing he wouldn't be able to do it himself with his lunch in hand. "Milk?"

Jack shook his head, his mouth full of the toasted bread and cheese. "App'l pease!"

The brunette woman sat down beside her favorite little boy and grinned. "Good? I made it special just for my Jack-Jack."

Jack vigorously nodded his head. "Yes MiMi!" He looked up to the older woman with his big brown eyes. "MiMi?"

"Yes honey?"

The child tried to bite the cheese from his lip. "You like my daddy?"

Emily felt herself laugh. "I do." She sent him a small wink as she picked up the boy's napkin and wiped his mouth. "But you know who I like even better?"

"Who?"

The chocolate eyed woman's jaw dropped. "Well you of course!"

Jack giggled before biting back into his sandwich.

"Hey now," Hotch pouted, "did I just hear what I thought I heard?" He pointed a finger at his son. "You like him better than me?"

Emily looked up into her boyfriend's eyes with the most serious of masks. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Aaron. I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore."

Jack let out a big laugh as he listened to his father and his favorite brunette woman speak. "You is funny MiMi."

The Unit Chief sat beside the younger woman, holding her hand in his. "What about daddy?"

"Not as funny as MiMi."

Emily grinned just as the doorbell rang, and she immediately stood from her seat. "I'll get it."

Hotch gave a frown. "Sit down, I'll get it."

The younger woman put a hand to her boyfriend's chest. "You sit down and have fun with your son. I will get the door."

Hotch grabbed the agent lightly by the hips and brushing his lips just against hers. "You sure, pretty lady?"

Emily giggled, pressing a long kiss to the older man's mouth before backing out of his embrace. "I am very sure, sir. Now sit."

The young Hotchner boy looked up from his lunch. "Daddy?"

"Yeah bud?"

Jack frowned. "Why do people kiss?"

Emily refused to laugh as she imagined her boyfriend's reaction to the question, reaching for the doorknob of the apartment door. Her body immediately stiffened.

It was Jack's grandmother.

Emily put on a small smile at the sight of the older woman, watching as her features turned cross. "Agitha, how nice it is to see you again."

The older woman frowned. "Emily. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you." She stepped to the side. "Would you like to come in?"

"Are my boys here or are you just free loading?"

Emily bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, closing the door behind her boyfriend's mother-in-law. "They're in the dining room. We're having lunch."

Agitha slowly nodded her head. "You are, are you?"

The brunette woman let a grin cross over her features. "You're surprised to see me again, aren't you? You'd thought I'd leave."

"You're not good enough for Hotchner blood," she grinned. "But my Haley was. She was the best mother and wife Aaron could ever have."

"Aggie." Hotch made his way into the living room. "What are you doing here?"

The grandmother smiled. "Hello Aaron. I thought I'd bring Jack an early birthday present."

The Unit Chief slowly nodded his head. "His birthday is in February, Aggie. It's October."

"I did say early," she smiled. "Jack! It's granny!"

Jack immediately came rushing in from the dining room. "Granny Aggie!" He wrapped his little arms tight around his grandmother's legs. "Hi granny!"

Hotch wrapped a strong arm around his girlfriend's waist, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "I can feel you're tense."

The brunette grit her teeth. "Wouldn't you be?"

Hotch looked to his mother-in-law and sighed. "Aggie, I think it's time you go. We have plans to get to."

Agitha put on a pout. "Oh are you sure? I could take Jack out for some food."

"No," he denied. "We just had lunch."

"Are you sure?"

Hotch glared at the older woman, taking his son and holding him to his free side. "My son and I have plans with my new, beautiful girlfriend. So if you don't mind, I think you should leave."

Agitha sent a scowl to the smiling brunette woman beside her son-in-law. "You are the devil, you are!"

The ivory woman gave a small shrug of the shoulders. "No," she grinned. "Just a Prentiss."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - Hey guys! Thank you all for being such loyal readers, I love you all! Now the Profiler Choice Awards nominations are being done! Go and vote! I hope you like me enough to vote for me! *hinthint* Love you guys!**

...

Jack smiled to the woman who had tucked him in for the past several weeks, his hands fisting in the material of his blanket because of the cold. "MiMi?"

The brunette's eyes flickered up to the young boy's face, smiling as she tucked him into his starter bed. "What is it, buddy?"

"You's been dating daddy for long now."

Emily chuckled, nodding her head. "That's right. Three and a half months." She bent down and pressed a kiss to the boy's red nose. "Can you believe it?"

The blond shook his head, his eyes wide. "No."

Emily let out a cackle, tickling the cold little boy. "Me neither. Now come on, story time and then bed time."

Jack immediately scoot over for the brunette woman who was dating his father, snuggling into her side once she got into his bed. He laid his head just over her left breast, looking up at her before she had the chance to open up his favorite book. "MiMi?"

"What's up, baby?"

"You's gonna be here fo-ever?"

Emily paused. Her fingers gently stroked down the toddler's arm and down to his tiny hand, grabbing it tightly. "You know what? I think I'd like it if I could be here forever," she smiled, "with you and your daddy."

Jack grinned. "My daddy is awesome!"

The ivory woman felt herself smile, her nose rubbing against the young boy's. "He sure is. Would you want me to stay forever, Jack?"

"I thinks it would be good." He closed his eyes, lying against Emily's chest. "Nice."

Emily watched as the young boy immediately began to fall asleep as he breathed in her scent. He wanted her to stay forever. If she could admit it to herself, she'd probably love that too. Stay forever with her two favorite boys? The man who made her feel like the only person in the world?

Yeah. Pretty great life.

The brunette looked up at the sound of a knock on Jack's bedroom door, a smile spreading over her face at the sight of the man she had been sleeping next to for the past couple of weeks. "Hi honey."

Hotch smiled to the younger woman, making his way into the room. "He go down good?"

"Like a baby."

The older man laughed, kneeling beside the bed. "Well he's a little bigger than a baby, but he's still down there."

Emily bit her lip, running her fingers through her boss' dark hair. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course sweetheart."

The brunette smiled, letting her boyfriend climb into the starter bed behind her and cradle her against his chest. "Jack asked me if I would stay with you both forever." She looked up into his shining eyes. "Would you want me to stay with you forever?"

Hotch leaned forward and pressed his nose into the crook of his girlfriend's neck. "I could think of nothing better."

Emily felt her heart beam. "You would want me like that?"

"Sweetheart, why would I have told you what I felt for you if I didn't want to be with you forever? For you to eventually become my wife one day."

The younger woman laughed. "Well you did have amnesia."

Hotch glared. "Let's forget about that, huh?" He pressed a kiss to her warm cheek. "Why don't we get some sleep and in the morning, I'll tell you about that surprise you've been trying to get out of me."

Emily's eyes immediately sparkled, her hand clutching his. "Really? I don't have to beg anymore?"

He gave a grin. "Well you could beg a little."

Emily rested against her boyfriend's chest, letting his hand rub down her arm. "Will I like it?"

"I certainly hope so."

The brunette chuckled. "I won't run screaming?"

Hotch sat his chin on the younger woman's shoulder. "I would certainly hope not."


	15. Chapter 15

Hotch ran his fingers gently through his girlfriend's black hair, pressing a kiss to her warm forehead as they pulled up to the desired location. "Baby? Come on Em, it's time to wake up."

The younger woman groaned.

"I know you're not feeling too good, honey. The sooner we get inside, the faster you can take a nap in that big bed I promised you."

Emily's eyes reluctantly opened, glancing groggily out the car's window. "We're here?"

Hotch nodded. "We're here honey." The brunette man hopped out of the backseat and grabbed their only suitcase before helping his girlfriend out into the fog. "Thanks Dave, we'll see you in two days."

The Italian man laughed. "You two have fun."

Emily smiled softly to the older man, hugging her boyfriend to her side. "Thanks Dave."

"Feel better, bella."

The brunette woman gave a small laugh as she watched her friend drive away. "He called me beautiful."

Hotch turned them around, leading them up the dirt path. "And why wouldn't he?"

Emily smiled, holding her boyfriend close. "So this was your surprise?" She did her best to look through the thick foliage. "I can't even see where we're going."

"You remember when I was in the hospital and I spoke about our supposed honeymoon?"

The younger woman slowly nodded her head. "I do."

Hotch's grip tightened around their small suitcases. "Our 'honeymoon' was us at a secluded cabin, our minds thinking of nothing but ourselves and the beautiful nature around us."

Emily bit her lip, looking up to the older man. "And you made it happen."

"I did," he grinned.

The pair continued up the path, Emily pressing little kisses to her boyfriend's shoulder. "Aaron this is so beautiful."

Hotch felt a small raindrop land on his head. "I think we better get in fast." He ushered them up the cabin's front steps and onto the porch, setting down their suitcases and picking his pockets to find the key.

Emily gave a yawn. "Aaron, I'm tired."

"I know honey, that's expected. You do have a fever." He felt himself freeze, his hands rummaging around in his pants pockets. "Em..."

"What is it, Aaron?"

He slowly turned around to face the younger woman. "I think I left the key in Dave's car."

Emily groaned, leaning back against the door. "Call him before he gets back to the main road."

"That's going to be hard."

The brunette glared at her boyfriend. "Why?"

Hotch looked into the ivory woman's dark eyes. "No cell phone service."

Emily stomped her foot. "Aaron! I am cold and I am sick! I want to get inside, now!"

"Honey what would you like me to do? Break down the door?"

The younger woman hastily nodded. "Yes!"

Hotch glared. "And what's gonna protect us tonight when a bear wanders by? They live right down the hill, Emily."

Emily's eyes widened. "There are bears here?"

"Come on," he sighed. "Maybe there's a door around back."

The brunette couple ran around the cabin, doing their best to shield themselves from the now pouring rain with their sweatshirts. "Aaron! There's no door!"

Hotch shook his head. "Cellar door right here." He tugged open the steel doors and helped his girlfriend into the cellar, throwing their suitcases down the stairs before closing the doors back up behind him. "Em? You good?"

Emily sighed before nodding, flicking on the light switch beside the staircase. "Yeah. Did you lock the door?"

"Block of wood between the handles."

The younger woman shivered, letting her boyfriend take her back into a hug. "What a nice getaway."

Hotch did his best to smile. "It is ending up pretty much like my dream."

Emily leaned back, her brows knitting together. "You're not helping."


	16. Chapter 16

Emily shivered in her boyfriend's tight hold, doing her best to get herself warm under the fleece blankets they had found in the corner of the cellar. Only twenty minutes had passed and the rain continued to pour down, the strong sound of the raindrops hitting the cellar windows above them echoing through the cement room. "Aaron it's too cold down here."

The older man nodded, wrapping his arms around her tighter. "Once the rain calms we'll get back up there, ok? I'll find the spare key."

"There's a spare key?"

Hotch nodded. "Has to be."

Emily snuggled into the older man's chest to gain more warmth, her fingers curling into his damp shirt. "This isn't turning out the exact way we planned, is it?"

"Not necessarily." He pressed a kiss to her dark hair. "But it is just like my dream. Remember?"

The younger woman ignored the smile in her boyfriend's voice, her eyes closed. "Yes honey, we already spoke about this."

Hotch nodded. "You know what I think? I think that it's even more proof that we're meant to be together," he smiled. He bent his head and pressed a kiss to the brunette's temple. "Soul mates."

Emily's eyes slowly peeled open, a smile crossing over her features as she looked up to her boyfriend. "Soul mates, huh?"

"Our connection to last throughout all eternity."

The chocolate eyed woman laughed heartily. "Why thank you Reid, that was just what I needed to hear."

Hotch's gaze intensified. "Never call me Reid."

Emily held in her laugh as the older man swooped down to kiss her. "You got it, sir." She pressed her lips against his just as passionately as he did her, fingers gripping the material of his dress shirt. Her back arched, crushing her breasts against Hotch's firm chest. "Aaron..." She grinned up to him. "I think I'm feeling a little better."

The older man stared smolderingly down into his girlfriend's dark eyes. "Are you now?"

"Mmhmm." She licked her bottom lip, her eyes flickering from his eyes to his pink lips. "You remember that other part of your dream, Aaron?"

Hotch's brow furrowed. "Which part is that, sweetheart?"

The brunette grinned up to her boyfriend. "You and me in the basement of the cabin," she husked. "The first night I let you go down on me."

The father's eyes immediately brightened, his hold growing tighter on the younger woman. "Emily, are you sure? We haven't done anything more than kiss."

Emily determinedly nodded her head, straddling the older man with her hips grinding down into his. "I want you to touch me, Aaron. I want you to study all the curves of my body and memorize every single touch that makes me tingle." She pressed a hot kiss to the crook of his neck, her hands tugging at his collar. "Isn't that what you want?"

The older man let out a groan, his hands going to his girlfriend's hips. "Em, maybe we should wait until you're one hundred percent better. I don't need you getting any worse."

Loving the fact that he cared so much about her and her health, she slowly stopped her movements, looking down into his chestnut eyes. "I love you Aaron. I don't want to wait anymore."

Hotch quickly reached his neck out to kiss the younger woman, his hands tugging her as close to his chest as he could. "You are so beautiful."

The brunette moaned into her boyfriend's mouth as they kissed, her fingers tangling in his dark hair as his tongue tentatively touched hers.

Hotch gave a small groan at a vibration in his back pocket, and his eyes immediately popped open. "My cell phone."

Emily quickly shook her head, diving back in to kiss the older man. "Leave it."

"No Emily, we have service!"

The younger woman gasped as she was thrown off of her boyfriend's lap, landing on the pile of blankets they had found. "Aaron Hotchner!"

Hotch bent down to hug the brunette. "Honey I'm sorry." He quickly took his phone out of his pocket. "Hello?"

Emily glared at the older man, huffing as she stood.

"Dave! Thank God you called. Our key is in the backseat of your car."

"I know Aaron, I found it and drove back to the house but you two weren't there. It's under the mat."

Hotch gave a grateful sigh. "Dave you are the best, thank you."

Emily bit her lip, kneeling before her boyfriend on one of the blankets and began to slowly unbutton her shirt. "Aaron?" she whispered.

The father of one looked up from his lap, his jaw dropping at the sight of the younger woman shedding her shirt from her body so her ivory skin sparkled underneath her black lace bra.

The younger woman smirked. "You gonna help me with the rest or what?"

"Dave I'll have to call you back."

Emily let out a squeal as her boyfriend practically tackled her to the ground, letting him kiss her soundly and trap her body between his and the warm blankets.


	17. Chapter 17

Jack jumped up from his spot on the carpet with all of his toys and rushed to the ringing telephone. He shoved the plastic up against his ear and smiled. "Daddy? Is that you? Are you coming home yet? Daddy!"

"Give me a chance to answer a question, bud," he chuckled.

The blond boy looked back to his aunt on the couch. "It's daddy!"

Jessica smiled at the young boy, cleaning up the juice he had spilled when he got up to get the phone. "Is it really? Well you make sure to tell him I say hi."

"Auntie Jessie says hi, daddy!"

"I say hi right back. Listen bud, me and Emily are on our way back from our little vacation now."

Jack's face immediately lit up at the mention of his favorite woman. "MiMi!"

Hotch smiled from the other end. "Do you want to speak with Emily while we get all of our stuff together?"

"Yeah!"

"Jack," he warned.

The blond boy quickly nodded his head. "Yes I wanna talk to her please daddy!"

There was a small rustling on the other end of the phone as the brunette man handed the device over to his girlfriend. "Jack-Jack?"

Jack's eyes brightened up. "Hi MiMi!"

Emily smiled against the phone. "Hey there buddy, I missed you."

"I miss you too MiMi."

"How was your weekend?"

The young boy shrugged his shoulders, his fingers playing against the end table's glossy pattern. "I colored and played wif my ac-ion figures and missed you!"

Emily felt her heart swell at her boyfriend's son's admiration for her. "Well we missed you a lot, bud. We'll be back really soon though."

"Soon?"

"Very soon. You wanna know how soon?"

Jack nodded excitedly against the phone. "Please!" His head turned at the sound of the front door, his little jaw dropping as he saw his father and his MiMi walk through the door. "But I'ms on the phone with you, MiMi."

Emily let out a small laugh, ending the call. "And somehow I'm right here!"

The little boy quickly put down the phone and jumped into the brunette woman's arms. "MiMi!"

The ivory woman smiled into her favorite little boy's hair, holding him tight against her chest as she swung him around. "We missed you so much, buddy."

Jack quickly scrambled down from Emily's arms and latched onto his father's leg. "Hi daddy!"

Hotch bent down and kissed his son on the forehead. "Hey there buddy."

Jessica grabbed her purse from beside the table and made her way over to the small family. "Well I better get going, I have Tyler waiting for me over at Lorenzo's."

The brunette woman smiled gently to the younger woman. "Thank you for watching him."

Once the young boy's aunt left, Jack led his father and his MiMi over to the living room couch. "I wanna show you my drawings!"

Hotch nodded his head. "Well maybe we can do that in a minute bud. Me and Emily want to tell you something."

Jack quickly sat down in between the older people. "I am listening."

Emily felt herself chuckle.

The Unit Chief smiled down to his son, his hand running over his blond hair. "You know this weekend me and Emily went away on a tiny vacation."

"Uh huh."

He nodded. "Well, on that vacation me and Emily told each other that we loved each other." He shared a loving look with his girlfriend before looking back down to his son. "You know how's she's my girlfriend?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah daddy."

Emily touched the young boy's hand. "Well Jack, this means that I'm an even bigger part of his life, and your life. So I might be over a little more often and be spending a little more time with you both. How does that sound to you?"

The blond shrugged his shoulders. "But you are always here!"

Emily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "And now I'll be here even more!"

Jack giggled, looking up to his father with his big brown eyes. "We get to keep her daddy?"

The brunette man grinned. "I think we get to keep her, bud."


End file.
